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Mission type | Astronomy |
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Operator | SERC / NASA |
COSPAR ID | 1974-077A |
SATCAT no. | 7471 |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Goddard Space Flight Center |
Launch mass | 130.5 kg (288 lb) |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 15 October 1974, 07:47:00 | UTC
Rocket | Scout B-1 |
Launch site | San Marco |
End of mission | |
Decay date | 14 March 1980 |
Orbital parameters | |
Eccentricity | 0.00325 |
Perigee altitude | 512 km (318 mi) |
Apogee altitude | 557 km (346 mi) |
Inclination | 2.9 degrees |
Period | 95.3 minutes |
Epoch | 14 October 1974, 23:00:00 UTC[1] |
Instruments | |
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Ariel 5 (or UK 5) was a joint British and American space telescope dedicated to observing the sky in the X-ray band. It was launched on 15 October 1974 from the San Marco platform in the Indian Ocean and operated until 1980. It was the penultimate satellite to be launched as part of the Ariel programme.